Reflections of Love
by AnimeMaster24
Summary: When Lucy is killed on a mission, a grieving Natsu finds himself pondering his true feelings for the Celestial Mage. Due to an odd twist of fate, he receives an unexpected visitor from Edolas. How will he handle this new turn of events? Will her presence be what he needs to rekindle his inner fire and unravel the mystery behind Lucy's murder? NaLu like you've never see it before!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Aftermath **

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. This story is made for fun, not profit.

It was a rainy day in Magnolia Town as Fairy Tail's resident fire-breather walked the streets. He had left the guild hall only moment ago and was heading back to his house on the outskirts of town, a certain blue-colored cat floating alongside him as they continued in silence. While the Exceed shivered in the windy conditions, his friend remained completely unaware of the pouring droplets and barely seemed to be paying attention to anything at all. Salamander was known throughout the guild for his hot-blooded approach to life and intense love of battle, but the last few weeks had marked a change in the young mage's behavior.

Not long ago he had gone on a mission with his team of friends in order to pay their bills. It had started as a routine trip to rid the countryside of some demon worshipping cults, but the situation quickly took a turn for the worst. Whoever it was that originally posted the job request had probably been unaware of how serious the situation had been, or else it might've been listed as an S-Class mission when sent to the Mage Guilds. The perpetrators plaguing the area had several rogue mages among their ranks and were affiliated with several well-known Dark Guilds, making the mission much more than a routine quest for the Fairy Tail foursome. Unfortunately they discovered this too late.

Looking back, he should have listened to her...

Flashback Start

_"Will you get off my back, already? I already said no, and I meant it!" she snapped. _

_It was getting late that night, and her two favorite intruders had chosen tonight to invade her apartment and take up residence in her living room. She had just finished closing the curtains and putting on her pajamas when she walked into bathroom to grab some extra blankets in the closet. Unfortunately she returned less than a minute later to find Natsu and Happy resting comfortably in her bed like a pair of freeloaders. Not only that, but they looked as though they had already fallen asleep in that time. _

_After waking them up from their slumber, the argument began as it usually did, and she wasn't in the mood to talk missions so late in the night. _

_"You really shouldn't barge into a girl's house at 1:00 in the morning and start making demands." The blonde placed her hands on her hips. "I don't see why I should go, considering we just came home from a quest last night and my behind still aches from the fall we took off that cliff." _

_"Good thing nothing bad happened, cause Lucy's got a big butt." the Exceed piped up suddenly. _

_"What's that you say, cat!?" she seethed, a small vein pulsing in the place above her right eye. _

_The salmon-haired boy swept the notion aside. "Oh c'mon Lucy. It wouldn't be any fun if you didn't come along too." _

_She paused suddenly, turning her head as if to hide a blush. "You... You really mean that?" _

_Natsu gave her that wide goofy smile she could never refuse. "Of course I meant it! Why else would I say it unless it was the truth? _

_Happy seemed to instantly pop up from behind him. "Natsu just doesn't wanna be stuck alone with Gray and Erza for the trip. You know how she knocks him out cold whenever they're on the train together, and then the three of them start fighting." _

_"I thought you said we weren't taking that damned train this time?" he shot back disappointedly. _

_"That's just something Erza said so you wouldn't complain before we got there." the winged cat folded his arms and nodded sagely, earning a glare from his human friend. "It's not like you guys can fly like me, and it would take way too long for everyone to walk." _

_"Don't care about that so long as the pay's good and I get to barbeque some bad guys when we get there." Natsu shrugged with an indifferent expression. "Besides, all we have to do is pick up the pace and it shouldn't take that much longer, am I right?" _

_"Aye sir, but with Lucy along for the trip it won't be that easy. She'd just slow everyone down." _

_"I'm standing right here, you know?" she made a quick grabbing motion, but Happy darted away and stuck his tongue out childishly. The Celestial Mage exhaled deeply before turning back to her pink-haired friend. She guessed by now that there was no escaping this encounter without at least hearing them out. "So what's this mission about, anyway." _

_The Fire Dragon Slayer reached into vest, pulling out the request paper. "There's supposedly some creeps terrorizing a bunch of villages. Apparently one of the local tradesman put out this bulletin asking for some mages to round up the bad guys, or at least chase 'em off." _

_Lucy bent over slightly to read the flyer, her eyes moving immediately towards the reward figure at the bottom of the page. "Hmmm..." she pondered the number in deep though. "Even divided four ways I could still use the cash to pay this month's rent easily and have some left over to do some shopping. It's been a while since I've bought new mission clothes." _

_"With us on the job, that reward's as good as ours!" Natsu reassured with his trademark smile. _

_"All right, I guess I'm in!" Lucy pumped her fist confidently, her bravado slowly evaporating when she thought about their past endeavors. "Um, maybe you guys could try to be a little less destructive. We'll end up paying off the damages if the three of you destroy the town like last time. I swear, sometimes you guys can be more of a nuisance than the bad guys!" _

_"Looks like she just wants the money, but at least the plan worked." Happy to himself. _

_His words did not go unheard by the Celestial Mage, who gently picked him up by the scruff of his neck and placed him on the windowsill "Speaking of which, it's time you two headed home for the night." _

_"Oh yeah, it's real nice to be kicked out." he replied, the look on their unwilling host's face giving him more than enough reason to leave. "Okay, we'll see ya soon!" Happy summoned his wings and took off into the night. _

_She watched him leave with a sigh, looking much more relaxed as she turned to Natsu. "If I have to go with you guys on another mission, the least you can do is let me get a good night's sleep." _

_"We don't leave until noon tomorrow, so it's all good." he rationalized calmly, his hand coming to rest on the glass. "Since you don't want us around tonight, I guess I'll head home too. Better get there before Happy burns down the house trying to boil water." _

_Lucy placed a hand to her forehead. "I never said I didn't want you here, but you could at least wait until I get home first for once." she ran to the open window just as her friend landed in the streets below. "And next time use the door!" _

_"Can't hear you..." Natsu called over his shoulder with a grin, earning a softer smile from his blonde partner. Taking a deep breath, the fire mage increased his speed to a brisk run, leaving a cloud of dust behind him. "We'll meet you tomorrow at the Guild Hall!" _

Flashback End

The Dragon Slayer couldn't help but smile as he remembered that night. It had been just like the countless other times he visited hr before a mission, from Happy's snarky commentary right down to Lucy kicking him from her apartment. Even the mission had started out normal, but when they reached the point of no return, a series of unexpected events changed their lives forever. Back in the present, Natsu cringed as the events of the mission replayed themselves in his mind for what had to be the millionth time in weeks.

He had been the one to suggest that they split up to search for the so-called cultists mentioned in the request flyer. Naturally once they were separate the group stumbled right into the trap of a Dark Guild. It had been a breeze to smash through the low-level grunts, but by the time he had sent his opponents running, a familiar scream had reached his ears. Rather than give chase to his fleeing enemies like he normally would, the Dragon Slayer had followed Lucy scent into a nearby cave where he made a horrible discovery.

Flashback Start

_Natsu lowered his fist as he finished off his final attacker, leaving several bodies lying on the forest floor. Most of them wore similar clothing consisting of long sleeveless black cloaks with full-boy purple jumpsuits underneath. While some left their faces exposed, the majority of his opponents had been wearing masks emblazoned with a strange crest resembling a shield, most likely their group insignia. _

_Giving his arm a stiff shake, the fire wizard extinguished his flames and casually stepped over an unconscious body. In that moment he could only think of how many people in the world like these deserved a good beat-down. Wielding the most basic of magic and weapons, they had hardly been a real challenge, but the idea of any magic user wasting their hard-learned sorcery to bully the innocent was enough to disgust most decent mages. _

_He bent down and jerked one of his victims awake, the man's eyes widening in fear. "All right pal... I'm giving you one chance to tell me what you creeps are trying to do! Either that or I'll give ya a taste of my Fire Dragon Fist." _

_"I... I... They would never forgive me if I said anything." the cultist stammered nervously. _

_"Not too convincing if you ask me! Wanna try again?" Natsu raised a hand of fire, the flickering blaze illuminating the man's face. "Where are you keeping the folks that went missing!?" _

_"Please let me go! I swear I don't know anything else!" the hostage blurted out, a nervous gulp sliding down his throat. "We were only hired to capture people from neighboring villages and hand them over to our superiors. I don't have any idea what they plan to do with them!" _

_"Not good enough!" he raised his fist and slammed the man directly in the jugular, sending him smashing into the trunk of the nearest tree. This left the fire mage seething. "Damn, that didn't accomplish anything. A lot of good beating on these jerks was..." _

_No one would ever accuse Salamander of being a genius, but he sensed no lie in the man's words. Despite this, he only became more determined to fill in the blanks. He prepared to ask another question when the man suddenly began screaming in agony, the wrenching noises coming from his mouth prompting the Dragon Slayer to approach him. Natsu watched in horror as the man's eyes rolled back into his head with an agonized scream, a strange marking on his forehead glowing before he fell motionless to the cold ground. His enhanced senses immediately told him that the man was dead, but the screams coming from the remaining cult members filled his sensitive ears like a horrific echo. _

_"What kind of person kills their own men!" he yelled in outrage, half expecting someone to step out and own up to the deed. _

_When no reply came Natsu began sniffing the air warily, looking like a paranoid animal cornered by hunters. He started looking around for the source of whatever spell had caused this massive death toll, but could not sense anybody close by. As he ran deeper into the forest following the sound of battle in the distance, similar screams told him that the same thing that had happened to his opponents was afflicting the remaining cultists. The familiar scent of his friends mingled with the freshly dead bodies, and he guessed that they had also been fighting. _

_He begun running again, but the sound of a familiar scream made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Lucy's voice was unmistakable amongst the din. He guessed that she had merely been surprised by something in the woods, but the successive screams that followed derailed the idea. The thought of her in danger made his blood boil, and Natsu's mind raced for a second before he changed direction mid-step and headed off the right in search of the blonde mage. _

_Suddenly a blue shape shot from the nearby trees followed by the familiar feel of Happy tapping his arm. "Natsu, did you hear that?" he flew at a brisk pace beside the salmon-haired mage. _

_"Yeah, and it sounds like she's having some trouble!" Salamander bit his lower lip, looking slightly confounded. "These brainless goons wouldn't have been enough to stop her whip, never mind her Celestial Spirits!" _

_"Erza and Gray already mopped up a couple dozen guys. Maybe we should round them up before searching for Lucy." _

_Natsu smelled blood again, only this time it was the more familiar scent of Lucy's blood. "Damn it!" he screamed, completely ignoring Happy's previous suggestion. _

_The two ran for another minute before reaching the mouth of a cave, the fire mage ignoring his own safety and plunging headfirst into the dark narrows. His Exceed partner hesitated for a second before following through. He trusted that the Dragon Slayer's nose would be more than enough to lead them through the unfamiliar passages, but his instincts were telling him that they shouldn't be there. It only took a matter of seconds before the duo found a lit passageway, but the area beyond was no doubt the source of whatever evils had been occurring in these woods. _

_A circular area lay beyond, the torchlight from the flickering flames on the cave walls revealing several magic circles carved within. Natsu felt his mouth drop as he looked down. The Celestial Mage was lying on her side upon the stone floor with her eyes closed. The handle of her whip was still gripped firmly in her hand, but the keys she used to summon spirits were lying discarded several feet away. Standing directly across the room from them was a dark figure wearing a tattered brown cloak, his features hidden from view. _

_"What's that!?" Happy screamed, looking frightened by the other man's presence. _

_His eyes widened in anger, the pupils shrinking like those of an animal prepared to strike. "Fire Dragon Roar!" he made a violent jump, landing protectively between Lucy and the mystery man as he shot forth a mighty gout of flame from his gullet. _

_The man merely raised his hand in a sweeping motion, the fiery assault blurring swirling into nothingness like water down the drain. With a casual flick of his wrist, the man released an identical attack back at Natsu, but the Dragon Slayer crossed his arms over his chest and shielded his friends from the attack, scattering the flames with a fearsome growl. The attack was useless against a man of his element. _

_"Did you do that to Lucy?" Natsu hissed angrily, his furious fists shaking in anticipation. _

_"You mean the young lady at your feet?" the man spoke up, his voice deeper than expected. He turned his back to the younger man for a moment, revealing a sword shaped crest similar the shield the grunts had worn on their masks. "The blonde child should have known better than to interfere in our plans. It was a pity she saw my face, or else I may have let her live." _

_"You bastard!" A large vein pulsed on his forehead as Salamander's forehead as he leapt at the opponent, but before he could strike again, his body collided hard with something invisible. _

_The man chuckled in a hoarse tone that sounded more like a growl. "Typical of a Fairy Tail mage to charge in without thinking." he waved a his hand again, the barrier releasing a force of magic that sent his attacker flying. "Such a waste of talent..." _

_Driven by his intense rage, Salamander took an incredibly deep breath, his lungs nearly bursting with energy. "Lightning Flame Dragon's Roar!" he bellowed. _

_His opponent shifted uneasily as the barrier collided with the lightning-enhanced fire, a loud cracking noise echoing off the cave walls as it shattered into pieces. A muffled sound of pain was heard the gargantuan blast engulfed the dark mage's body. Natsu glared into the burning embers with an unusually cold stare, his mouth opening in surprise when the fire dispersed to reveal nothing where the enemy was standing seconds before. _

_"Good job Natsu, you got him!" the floating cat pumped his tiny fist triumphantly.  
_

_"Nope, he got away." Natsu shook his head before turning around, a few more sniffs giving him more bad news. "No sign of him nearby either." _

_Happy nodded sadly as he landed beside Lucy, giving her body a shake. "Hey Lucy, time to wake up... We took care of that big bully so it's all good." _

_The Fire Mage placed a hand on her shoulder, heaving the girl's body on his shoulder. "C'mon Luce, time to wake up." he began, only to feel a warm trickle of blood running down his back. _

_He immediately lowered her back to the cave floor, his eyes dilating in horror as he found a large puncture mark where the heart was located. Refusing to believe it, Natsu fought back the urge to scream and placed his hand on her body only to find no pulse. _

_"Is she gonna be okay?" the Exceed moved closer, barely stifling a scream as he drew near. _

_Natsu's eyes remained hidden behind his hair, a shadow falling over his face as he knelt beside the unmoving form of his best friend. His curled fists were shaking violently and a scowl was present on his lips, but his throat remained dry, and his voice wouldn't respond. Suddenly a single small tear slid down his face, landing tenderly on the face of the one girl he cared about most in this world. _

_Feeling the loss of hope, the blue cat burst out into tears, rapidly shaking Lucy's motionless body. "Lucy, please wake up!" he looked up into his owner's shadowed face before crying hysterically into her red-stained shirt. "Please! I promise not to make anymore jokes about you if you open your eyes!" he pleaded frantically. "Please Lucy! Please wake up!" _

Flashback End

Now standing in the rain, Natsu felt those same emotions well up inside him. Had he been there sooner, maybe things would have turned out differently. What still bothered him is that it had been his idea to split up the group. Returning to the Guild Hall with her body had been one of the most heart-wrenching experiences of his life, a sense of grief he hadn't felt since Igneel disappeared those many years ago. He felt abandoned once more, except this time he took that frustration out on others, something which had left him estranged from his guild mates for weeks to come.

Flashback Start

_"You moron, this was all your fault!" he screeched, giving Loke's body a series of shakes as he held him buy the collar of his suit. _

_The lion spirit remained silent as he took another punch to the face, his glasses breaking in half and falling to the floor. Several onlookers watched the spectacle in horror, many too saddened by Lucy's departure to interfere, while the others chose not to. Yesterday had been a miserable experience for them all, the guild's partying atmosphere having completely evaporated as if the world came grinding to a halt. Cana, who had been drowning herself in the twice her usual amount of ale, looked up from her tankard gloomily, yet too upset to speak out. Even Macao and Wakaba with their constant commentary had said nothing on the subject, while Mirajane held her younger sister in surprise. _

_The lion spirit rubbed his face for a moment returning Natsu's glare with a punch of his own, the blow barely moving his target an inch. "Do you honestly think I feel any better about this than you!? I wasn't able to protect her either." he looked at his hands and trembled ever to slightly. "This is the second time I've had to bear the stain of my master's blood, because of something I could or couldn't do!" _

_"You were right next to her when it happened! You should have protected her!" Salamander argued back. _

_"Do you really think I wouldn't have if I could?" he asked incredulously, he found himself unable to make eye contact with the assembly. "I fought with everything I had, and in the end it wasn't enough... Do you know how it feels to be so helpless?" _

_Natsu let out a low growl, his frustrations reaching a head. "You're a Celestial Spirit, it's not like that freak could've killed you, is it?" _

_"That's not fair, Natsu! You know even spirits have their weaknesses." Mirajane shouted rather abrasively, her former demon persona shining through as she stepped out from behind the bar. _

_Loke knew in his mind that he hadn't been able to do more, yet the words still stung him deeply. He had also held a great affection for the blonde mage, the woman who saved his life and would've given her own in return. What hurt the most is that he hadn't been able to return that same amount of dedication. He and Aries had both taken extensive damage from whatever type of magic the enemy had used on them, thus they were unable to return to her side after returning to the spirit world to heal their injuries. _

_The Dragon Slayer stepped forward again, only to be restrained by the arms. "Will you stop being an idiot and think for once in your life." a familiar voice called from behind him. _

_"Damn you Gray, let go!" he elbowed the ice mage in the gut, only to be pushed onto the floor by a large hulking man. _

_Elfman scooped him from the ground before pulling the fire mage into a half-nelson. "That's enough of that, Natsu! What kind of real man goes around blaming others when there's no reason for it? You're not helping anyone!" _

_Gray pulled his arms through the sleeves of his jacket, before rounding on his old rival. "We all feel the exact same way as you! Quit acting like you're the only one who's upset and stop taking it out on everybody else." _

_His larger compatriot struggled to retrain the captive Natsu. "Damn it, where's Erza when you need her?" _

_The lion spirit lowered his head as if apologizing before turning his back to his three struggling guild mates. "I'm sorry..." Loke stated in a defeated monotone, retrieving his broken glasses before using his magic to vanish. _

_Natsu stopped struggling and fell limp as the word's of his friends slowly sunk in, barely noticing as he was dumped onto the floor by Elfman. He stood back up without a word and brushed the dirt off of his clothing before leaving the Guild Hall, his friends watching silently as he footsteps reverberated across the floorboards. An upset Happy glanced back at Wendy and Carla before floating slowly behind him, his owner completely unaware that he was even present as they proceeded down the streets of Magnolia Town. _

Flashback End

Salamander looked around suddenly, noticing that he was walking on the same route that he had been that day. It had been almost a month since his outburst and things were better back at the guild hall, yet he had felt empty as of late. Before the incident that claimed Lucy's life, he had always been fired up to go on quests and spend time partying with the others, but his inner flames felt like they had been doused. He still felt the emotions come and go naturally, but they were more subdued than before, and his smiles much less cheerful.

His guild mates would occasionally noticed, but he pretended nothing was wrong. Natsu noticed he was spending more time at home, a place he visited less frequently before due to the sheer number of job requests and his preference to harass the others at the guild hall. There were days when he couldn't help but admire his mementos from past missions, only he found himself doing this more often.

"It was a day like this..." he looked up at the darkened sky, staring hopelessly into the rain drops.

Flashback Start

_The members of the Fairy Tail Guild stood gathered in the rainy afternoon, the pouring torrent and overcast heavens spreading the somber mood held by the mourners. The usually colorful crowd wore black for the occasion, most of the mages garbed in dark suits, gowns, and dresses compared to the odd assortment of clothing seen around the guild hall. At the front of the crowd stood Makarov Dreyar, who remained just as quiet as his self-proclaimed children. the funeral for their dearly departed guild member was slowly drawing to a close, but the mood remained somber as ever.  
_

_Juvia stood beside Gray with her arms wrapped gently around his own, although for once he did nothing to stop her as she wept silently into his shoulder. The rain had not been her doing, but had it been naturally sunny, she feared her powers might've created a storm to reflect her mood anyway. Wendy held Carla in her arms and cried openly, her cries quietly slight as she felt Erza's comforting hand on her shoulder. The armored woman remained as proper and composed as ever, but a deep-seated sadness lingered behind those unassuming eyes. She wore a variation of her Heart Kreuz Armor crafted in a darker color, a ceremonial blade grasped firmly in her opposite hand and the point stabbed into the ground. _

_Natsu remained rigid as he stood beside his remaining teammates, although he did not allow the sadness to overtake him. As overcome with grief as he was, the Dragon Slayer stood firmly against the tide of emotion, wanting to be strong as Lucy would have wanted. It was clear that she had somehow wormed her way into his heart and became close to him as any friend could be, and yet he couldn't quite describe that strong desire to protect her that had been there for so long. He loved all of his friends and would always put his life on the line, but with her it felt so much stronger. _

_On the opposite side of the cemetery path stood a group of people who were not of the guild, several of which had been servants at the Heartfilia Estate before its liquidation. The tutors and maids had raised Lucy liker their own child, and she had been mutually fond of them. A handful of people were recognizable from other places, including Yukino from Sabertooth Guild, the elder Yajima, and Doranbolt was also present as a representative from the Magic Council. _

_The headstone was large and decorative, bearing the Fairy Tail logo with her name carved in intricate letters directly into the back. Fairy Tail's master stepped away from the crowd, moving so that he was standing directly in front of the grave. _

_"It is a sad day for any family when one of their own passes away... Our Fairy Tail family is no different." Makarov spoke to the crowd slowly while fighting back tears. "Never before has any guild been graced with such a beautiful young flower, whose bright smile and innocent heart shined more brilliantly than the stars that protected her." _

_"They truly loved you..." Yukino whispered as she closed her eyes, gently fingering Lucy's remaining keys that had been left in her possession. All but the Lion had been contracted to her. _

_Fairy Tail's master continued speaking. "Everyone standing here today was touched by her wondrous and gentle spirit... It is these warm sentiments left behind with those that remain that were the true proof of her existence." he swallowed with a grimace. "Although she was born of wealth, Lucy Heartfilia understood that a person is not judged by the possessions they keep or the money they accumulate, but by the bonds that they forge!" _

_A faint murmur was past between several of the mourners as this was said. Lisanna comforted Mirajane as Elfman wrapped his arms around his sisters lovingly, the Strauss siblings consoling once another. Loke and Gray remained as stoic as Natsu, neither responding outwardly to the eulogy despite the inward struggle to retain their composure. Natsu felt the obsessive urge to scream out her name and throw himself upon the grave, but knew that it would accomplish nothing at all. Despite her regal mannerisms, Erza felt a tears running down her face amidst the pouring rain, the grip on her blade loosening considerably as her facade began to slip. _

_"She was a girl of beauty, intelligence, and immense moral fiber, who would sooner sacrifice her own life for those she cared about than allow anyone to suffer for her." Makarov finished through soft sobs as he too began to cry. He took a deep breath and held his head up high. "And so we bid you a final farewell, Lucy Heartfilia... You will remain forever in our hearts until the day we meet again... Our family will never again be the same without you!" _

_As silence settled over the cemetery once more, the patter of rain filled the ears of the gathered crowd. The sound of the bells from the nearby cathedral brought the procession back to attention as they formed a lineout, each person paying their final respects to their friend's final resting place. _

_Makarov stepped up first, his hand lingering over the guild crest on the stone. "Tell me child... Is it truly fair for the young to die while the old linger on?" he spoke solemnly before taking his leave, the other mourners following his example as they approached the grave marker._

_"There were times when you didn't believe in yourself." Erza whispered as she grazed the stone with her hand. "You were always much stronger than you knew..." _

_Juvia passed by next, a tear rolling down her cheek. "You were a good rival, my dear friend. Juvia will not forget..." _

_Gray paused for a moment, for once not bothered by the water mage's misconceptions. "We should've been there. I hope you can forgive us." _

_"Thanks for all the fun times, Lu-Chan. It's a shame you never finished that book." Levy smiled to herself through gentle tears as she took Gajeel's arm, the Steel Dragon bowing his head in respect before the grave as she leaned on him for support. . _

_Natsu folded his arms and watched the line move with a frown, his lower face hidden behind the hem of his Igneel's scarf. Some people simply muttered goodbyes while others had more to say like his teammates. Other merely marched past the grave with tears in their eyes and a few sobs, others remained somber, while many guests gently placed their hands on the surface of the stone in a sign of respect. He held back for a moment, watching as the crowd filed into the streets and dispersed, several departing while others headed back to the Fairy Tail Guild Hall. Life was moving on... _

_Yukino was the last of the procession. "You inspired me to trust in others, and allow them to place their faith in me. Let us meet again in the heavens above." she spoke to her fellow celestial mage with a glimmer of hope. _

_As the silver-haired woman prepared to leave the grounds, she turned to notice that the Fire Dragon Slayer. His stare made her feel slightly uncomfortable. She pondered saying something to the fire wizard for several seconds, but was unable to find the words in that moment. _

_"Natsu, are you coming?" Happy looked up at his best friend, his large eyes filled to the brim with tears. _

_He received no answer... The cold silence acting as a wordless dismissal. _

_Once almost everyone had gone, the Fire Dragon Slayer walked over to the headstone and placed both hands on the surface, the tears finally falling at last. He hadn't remembered crying this much since that fateful day Igneel disappeared, and it felt horrible to feel those same emotions for a second time in his life. Knowing that the others had departed, he beat his fists against the marker and cursed himself for allowing this to happen. No longer caring about who might see, he remained standing in the rain before her tomb for an hour or so before passing through the iron gates, his gaze lingering on the headstone for a moment or two before he forced himself to look away. _

Flashback End

In the present, Natsu felt those same feelings of loss pierce through his heart again, only this time he felt as if there were no longer any tears left. His eyes moved towards the church standing far in the distance, but he decided it was better to simply return home for the night. He had sent his partner ahead on the grounds that he wanted some time alone, but knowing the small blue cat, he guessed that Happy was probably dying of boredom right about now while waiting for him.

"Yeah, that's the way it's always been..." he muttered with a shadow of a smile.

The Next Morning...

Despite the horrible weather the previously day, things had quieted down considerably as the night wore on. The sun was shining brightly overhead, but due to the early hour, the ground still remained muddy and unstable on the outskirts of town. The people of Magnolia were slowly beginning to go about their daily lives. Merchants were hitting the streets, folks were opening their shops, all preparing for another busy day.

While life in the town remained as normal as ever, the forest in the suburbs remained quiet. Deep in the woods surrounding Magnolia, a girl's unconscious body lay motionless against an old tree. She was garbed in a high collared black leather jumpsuit with a white trim, the front opening slightly to reveal some of her ample cleavage. The young lady also wore knee-high black boots, a pair of dark fingerless gloves, and a protective metal pad on her right shoulder. Her long blonde hair reached down past her neckline, and was tied to the side with a hair band crafted to resemble a small human skull.

She shuddered for a moment before opening her eyes, revealing her brown eyes. After shaking her head to clear it, she clenched her fists angrily. The last thing she remembered before waking up was a giant explosion caused by one of her idiotic guild mates. She chewed those idiots out multiple times for performing dangerous experiments inside the hall, but this time they wouldn't escape with a simply lecture. An evil grin tugged at the corners of her mouth, marking her pretty face with an oddly sinister presence.

"That scrawny bitch and her two morons are dead meat when I get a hold of them!" she fumed angrily, her mannerisms softening as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings.

The blonde observed the surrounding trees with a slightly suspicious look, not recognizing the plant life immediately. Wherever she had landed, it was probably far from the Royal City where her guild had set up shop following the new king's ascension. While most people would have been nervous by this sudden development, it only added fuel to her internal fire, causing her temper to flare up. She punched the nearest tree to vent, an shock of pain creeping up her arm as cracks splintered with the bark.

Realizing this did more harm than good, the young traveler turned to the nearest path and began walking even though she had no idea where she was. She simply followed the path knowing that it would lead somewhere, hopefully a town where she could find some help. After what seemed like an hour, the blonde saw an opening in the trees leading onto the path, her eyes opening in surprise as she stepped out into the early morning light.

Before her stood a large settlement consisting of several buildings, the noise of the daily hustle and bustle reaching her ears even from her position on the cliff. Her eyes gravitated towards one of the buildings positioned near the center of town, the Fairy Tail insignia immediately catching her attention. She was surprised that someone would openly display her guild's crest like that, considering they had long been known as troublemakers.

Lucy Ashley smiled to herself as she began walking towards Magnolia, her face betraying a mix of curiosity and excitement. "Looks like I might find some answers down there, after all..." she added with a note of amusement.

NOTE TO READERS: Thanks for giving my story a chance. This is my first time writing a Fairy Tail fanfiction, so I hope this was a good start. Sorry if there are any typos, but stuff slips through the nets, so-to-speak.

A quick thing to take note of: This story is NaLu like you've never seen it before! Sorry if you guys don't like flashbacks, but this first chapter was a necessity to set the playing field and lay down the major events that led up to this current place in the story. If you want a solid timeline placing, this is a divergence directly after the Grand Magic Games arc.

You wanna see more of this story than drop me a review! Have any suggestions, ideas, or criticisms than feel free to tell me. That being said, I'll judge whether or not to continue this story based on the feedback... It's often a policy of mine to focus on stories that people like the most among my fanfiction list, since I have several.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Something Scary Appears **

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. This story is made for fun, not profit.

"Damn, this path's a lot longer than I thought it'd be." Lucy cautiously approached the uneven terrain ahead, only to slide down the muddy slope, landing hard on her butt as she hit the rocky ground below. "Ouch! Talk about a major pain in the ass."

While the sun had rose quickly and the last hour and the ground was less moist, things were still somewhat unstable and slippery. She swore and wiped the dirt from her pants with an angry scowl, the leather jumpsuit having cost her quite a bit of money back home. To her it represented hours of hard work without magic. Not that she much cared what was fashionable, but it was style she liked and always wore.

The outcrop she had reached earlier had led down into another grove of trees, although she was beginning to get tired of this. Ever since King Jellal had taken the throne of Edolas, the Fairy Tail Guild had been working directly from the Royal City during the reconstruction. It had been a nice change from hiding out in the wilderness, which wasn't something she had ever enjoyed, but she missed the magic and the fighting they used to do. Lucy stopped in a clearing to take a break, cursing herself for having grown soft in these times of peace.

Now leaning against a tree, the blonde girl realized the source of her problem. "Fuck, these stupid things are just causing trouble, now!" she cocked her leg upwards and reached down, ripping the heels off of each both in quick succession.

She placed both feet on the ground and stomped the ground a few times to make sure there was no more problems before heading off again. She wondered how he friends were doing without her while wondering what was going on with Fairy Tail in the town ahead. While they were a legal organization once more, the former mages had formed a workers guild in order to stay in business while welcoming new people into the fold.

While it seemed simple on the surface, they were still pushing the limits of the world around them, just in a different way than before. Levy may have been a scrawny bitch, but at the same time she was also a genius scientist. The guild's profits were now used to fund Team Shadow Gear's research into creating inventions that could run without magic, while researching alternative power sources to use devices that had previously been powered by lacrima.

Unbeknownst to Lucy, she was being watched from the trees. The man waited for a minute before lunging out and seizing her around the neck with one arm, using his opposite hand drawing a knife. She looked up to see the blade inches from her throat.

"Your valuables... Give them to me now!" a raspy voice whispered into her ear, the frenzied tone betraying his instability. "Come on, surely you value your life more than a few jewels?"

The blonde girl pondered her situation for a fraction of a second, a truly devious smile coming to her face unbeknownst to the thief. "You can have whatever you want, just please don't hurt me!" she answered through fake tears.

"Just be a good little girl and hand it over!" he loosened his grip and began frisking her with his free hand, only to be grabbed by the wrist.

"Oh, I'll give you something, all right..." she replied, her previously timid voice deepening in a way that surprised her captor.

Lucy elbowed the man in the gut using the opposite arm, snatching his knife as it flew from his grip. She spun him around and pulled the robber into a stranglehold, using his own weapon to threaten the man. Getting a closer look at the man, he looked to be in his thirties and was of average height, his face unshaven and covered in stubble. His hair was combed yet slightly messy, and he was wearing gray ragged clothes and a brown cloak with the hood down. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead as he felt the blade press against his throat, but the blonde girl tossed it away and nailed him in the back with a kick, pushing him face first into the mud.

"You bitch!" The thief scrambled away on all fours only to be ploughed into the ground again by a wrestling move.

"Think you can attack a defenseless girl, huh? Try this on for size... Technique Number 28: The Give-Up-Already-Lock!" she yelled, slamming her victim into the ground and yanking his legs upwards into a back-breaking hold. His screams of pain only enticed her to pull harder. "Who's the bitch now, you rotten piece of shit!?"

"What the Hell!" the man struggled again, only to receive a sharp head butt to the back of his skull, the blow grounding him instantly.

Looking satisfied with her work, Lucy untangled herself from his limbs. "That oughta teach this Dumb fuck to stop mugging people in the woods." she spit in the opposite direction with a look of disgust.

After adjusting the crick in her neck, she tossed his cloak aside and reached into his pockets, pulling out a large sum of money she guessed he had stolen. She pocketed the goods without guilt, knowing that the miserable thief didn't deserve it anyway. After taking the small sheath from his belt, she clipped it onto her own waste and retrieved the knife from the forest floor, sliding it into its holder. If anyone else tried something funny, at least she would be armed.

"Could use this for a disguise, just until I find out what's going on." The blonde girl picked up his discarded cloak and sniffed it, recoiled with a wretch before pulling it into place on her shoulder, putting the hood up to hide her face. "Out of all the creeps I could've run into, I got the one that's never heard of the shower."

The sound of stirring at her feet distracted her for a moment. "What are you doing!?" the bandit began standing up only to receive a kick in the face.

"Taking your stuff in case I need it!" she pinned the cloak shut with her left hand, her voice devoid of any sympathy. "If I hear you're robbing people again, I'll come back and introduce you to some friends from Fairy Tail... Get it?"

At the sound of the infamous guild's name, the man began limping in the opposite direction as fast as his injured body would take him, only to land face first in the mud a second time. Lucy let out a snicker as she watched hobble away in a ridiculous fashion. Lowdown thugs like him were always quick to run when faced with any real danger.

"Pussy..." she sneered before walking in the opposite direction, an amused painted on her face.

And Then...

Natsu remained motionless with his left hand grasping a tankard of beer and his nose planted into the table, his other arm wrapped around his head as if to block out the light of day. He had spent the entire morning working small time jobs around town, and had earned a nice chunk of jewel to prove it. While the guild's request board usually contained many perilous missions that would make ordinary mortals quake in fear, he hadn't even spared a glance at the higher level jobs for several weeks. He had half-hearted done some traveling to nearby settlements, but protecting travelers from common thieves and shaking down mountain bandits was boring work.

Not that he had any motivation to pick up something more interesting. Although no word had been found, his mind was almost entirely focused on finding the people they had encountered in the woods that night and jamming his fiery fists down their throats. He had never been big on the idea of vengeance, but found that his deep-seated hatred of Lucy's attacker had grown into an obsession beyond his control. The coward had gall to take a life and flee without a proper fight, and nothing would ever compensate for such an atrocity in the eyes of the Dragon Slayer.

The fire mage raised his head and pounded the table, earning a few uneasy looks from those sitting closest. While he hadn't meant to cause a fuss, the angry scowl that escaped his throat resulted in several people reseating themselves further down the table. The other mages had grown used to his brooding, but that didn't exactly excuse his behavior, which had been noticeably more unpleasant than usual. While his moping did result in fewer fights, the aura of gloom that pervaded the air was incredibly contagious due to many people sharing the same loss.

"You really shouldn't take your anger out on everyone else, you know?" a voice spoke from over his shoulder. He turned to see Gray leaning against the wall.

"Get lost, stripper... Can't ya see I'm busy?" the fire breather replied despondently, the usual hostility strangely absent from his voice.

"Don't give me that crap. You're lying around like a bag of garbage in the streets." the ice mage spoke, trying not to become annoyed with his teammate. When the fire user didn't answer, he pushed the conversation in another direction. "Look... I just came over to tell you that Erza picked out a job for us to do together."

Natsu held up a fistful of bills in his right hand. "I already got enough cash for this month, so count me out."

Before he could say another word, a dagger shot from over his shoulder and pierced the money in his hand, pinning the wad against the opposite wall. Natsu made a violent spasm as his mind processed what had happened while Gray moved a few feet in the opposite direction as if afraid to stand near him. The familiar sound of shifting armor filled their ears, followed by a series of surprisingly graceful footsteps. Both men turned in surprise as a certain redhead's shadow fell between them, neither looking forward to whatever was about to happen next.

"Damn it Erza, are you trying to kill me!?" Natsu shouted, only to be pushed back into his seat.

"You're already doing enough of that yourself." she stated with a disapproving shake of her head.

"What are you going on about, now? I was doing just fine until someone tried to stick me with a knife." he groaned, knowing that more shouting would only earn him a smack.

Erza placed a hand on her hip, her eyes boring into him. "You've been a pain lately, loafing around the Guild Hall like a wounded turtle. It's about time you stopped sleeping your afternoons away and go back to doing some real work!"

The shirtless man standing beside her nodded in agreement. "I'm with her on this one. Ever since the incident you've been more useless than usual. I know what happened sucks, but you can't live the rest of your life brooding around like this."

"Who said that has anything to do with it?" he turned his head stubbornly. "After all the fighting we did in the tournament and the battle with those dragons, maybe I was just wanted to do some easy jobs for a change."

"Oh please, you're not the type to do nothing. A moron like you isn't happy unless you're starting a fight or destroying something!" Gray shouted, his temper flaring like an icy aura.

Natsu stood up, a spark of his argumentative side springing back to life. "Like you have a right to be insulting me, ice freak! In the last town we went to, there was just as much shit frozen as there was burned." he pointed backwards with his thumb. "We're not even talking about the buildings she demolished in that catastrophe!"

"At least my ice can be melted! It's kinda hard to put things back together when there's nothing left but ashes!" he grabbed the fire wizard by his scarf. "I don't even know why we bother! All we've been trying to do is snap you out of it, and all you do is complain..."

The armored mage shoved Gray aside, not even batting an eye as he hit the floor. There were times when she would berate them from acting like children and jump into the fight, but this time she had to be the civil one. "Will you listen for once in your life? What he was trying to say is that you haven't been the same since Lucy died."

He blinked at the sound of that name as if to confirm her statement, but quickly folded his arms like a shield. "I keep telling ya that has nothing to do with it. I'm just tired is all!" The fire mage ran a hand through his hair uneasily. "If that's all you wanted to say, then quit bugging me."

"We're your friends, damn it!" Erza shouted, her scream earning the attention of everyone else in the room. She glared into his eyes, but the stare that scared her teammates into submission did little more than make him wince. "Just listen to us!"

Gray dusted off his pants and faced the fire breather with a grimace. "Quit being so proud damn stubborn and come on a mission with us. Enough shutting yourself off from the world. We miss her too, but we can't stop living because of that!"

"Just shut up, already!" Natsu rounded on his teammates, his teeth grinding dangerously.

Erza clenched her fists while choking back the desire to hit them. "You two... idiots... ... Stop making a scene!" she stepped forward, her interjection going ignored by the two feuding mages.

"We're on your side, or are just too much or a moron for that notion to sink into your fat skull?"

Gray raised a hand as if preparing to cast a spell, causing his adversary to imitate the gesture. "We understand what you're going through!"

"Like Hell you do!" Natsu screamed wildly, his eyes blazing with anger as his punch violently collided with the ice mage's cheek. His victim was sent crashing to the floor with a resounding thud, several people running for cover as he landed.

Mirajane and Cana raised their heads in surprise, the former holding both hands to her mouth in horror while the latter stood up to get a better view of the spectacle. Laki slopped some alcohol down her front while Reedus shook his fist, the distraction having caused him to ruin yet another pointing. Across the room Levy peeked out curiously from behind Jet, while Gajeel opened a beady red eye to watch although he continued leaning against the wall and his arms remained folded in disinterest.

"You asshole! You think I'll take a cheap shot like that lying down!" Gray scrambled to his feet and placed both hands together in his signature pose. "Ice Make..."

Before he could finished speaking, Erza stepped between them, planting a fist into Natsu's face before he could react. Having been focused entirely on the ice user, he didn't see it coming when she kneed him in the stomach, causing him to land on his back several meters away. Shaking off the simple attack, the fire breather sat up only to find a sword point positioned inches from his face, the sudden danger diverting his attention from the previous fight. He looked up cautiously as she sheathed her weapon, instead yanking from the floor by the hem of his vest. He closed his eyes as if expecting another blow, but when Erza loosened her grip, he opened them with a bewildered expression.

"We've had enough of this act of yours... Quit being a jerk!" she slapped him across the face, leaving a red hand-shaped mark, yet the softness of her tone was strange. She released him and backed away, a look of mingled sadness and anger on her face. "If you think you're the only person who cared about her, then you're wrong!"

Natsu couldn't argue with her words, yet at the same time he couldn't quite grasp that strange emotion he had been feeling since Lucy's death. Certainly he cared deeply about her like any friend would, but that sense of complete hopelessness, and the mingled sorrow and warmth he felt when remembered their time together, was something entirely different. He had never felt this strange sensation, not even when Igneel departed that fateful day so long ago, though it was a very similar emotion. It was somehow different... That's all he could discern about this feeling.

The Dragon Slayer felt suddenly ashamed, but was unwilling to voice this out loud. Part of it was his pride, and the other reason was that he didn't understand it completely himself. The young mage gathered up his nerves, but found himself unable to look his teammates in the eye. Erza and Gray were never known as the most sensitive individuals, but even they could tell that he was hiding something. Perhaps something else they didn't quite understand was going on.

Sensing he was about to leave, Erza stepped in his path, stabbing her sword into the guild hall's wooden floor and leaned on the hilt as if daring him to move past her. "I don't know why you've chosen to act this way, but it's time you came clean." Their gazes met, eliciting an irate growl from the armored woman. "Talk to us! What is it exactly that we don't understand!?"

"Just forget about it!" he tossed the loose end of his scarf over his shoulder and moved past her, not even bothering to say a proper goodbye.

Erza glared at the back of his head as if she were trying to read his mind. Despite her anger at being handled like a child, she chose not to force the issue. She knew that Lucy's passing had hit Natsu harder than anyone else in the guild, even among their team. He had seen her murderer... Perhaps that had something to do with it. It was clear to her that whatever the fire mage was feeling wasn't something even he could fully grasp, and although she respected his privacy, she didn't like it.

As the other mages slowly returned to their respective conversations, Gray seated himself at the table beside Erza. "I get why he's upset, but that pain in the neck shouldn't be taking it out on us." he absent-mindedly cracked his shoulder back into place. "I mean, all we did was try to help."

"That idiot! I should have beaten the answers out of him when I had the chance." she felt her hands shaking in anger. The armored female took a moment to collect herself before returning her weapon to its pocket dimension. "Still, I can't entirely dismiss his actions, considering the recent circumstances."

Mirajane approached the duo with an understanding look. Although she spoke softly, it was enough to warrant their full attention. "He misses her more than anyone else in the guild, and its obvious that he's blaming himself for what happened."

"It was that cult we ran into that did it!" the ice mage commented with a note of anger.

"Yet for all the investigating we've done, none of us has been able to discover anything else about the enemy." Erza added in with a similar expression.

Fairy Tail's barmaid placed a hand on her cheek uneasily. "I'm certain that's also one of the reasons he's been so upset lately. Natsu was never the type to sit around and do nothing during dangerous times, but it would seem he's been left with little other choice... I can only imagine how horrible it must be for him."

"I'm not entirely unfamiliar with that feeling, either." Gray replied, his ton surprisingly quiet.

As these words echoed in his mind, the shirtless mage found himself remembering the day that Deliora had destroyed his hometown along with everything and everyone he had ever known. It was something he would never forget, and yet at the same time he tried his best not to dwell on these memories during the best of times. Not only was he unable to do anything against the monstrous demon, but his foolishness had also resulted in the death of his teacher, Ur. Years later he was saved again by her daughter, completely powerless to do anything even after spending his life training to become stronger.

Erza glanced over at her teammate, immediately sensing what he was thinking. She too had horrible experiences of the sort. "We presumed too much by claiming to understand his feelings, when the pain runs much deeper for him." Jellal's face flickered in her memory as she recalled the incidents at the Tower of Heaven. "I think I understand, now."

"I'm still angry that he's been acting like a jerk." the ice mage began, his aggression fading away as he folded his hands on the table. "But I really can't blame him for it, either."

"It's good to see that you guys understand." the white-haired model smiled sincerely, glad that she had been able to clear up the situation. When they did not answer her, she returned to work.

As she walked away from the others, Mirajane couldn't help but feel the same sorrow in her own heart. A lot of Fairy Tail's members had experienced traumatic lives, and that was why they were able to relate to each other so well. Even though they were not related by blood, the strong bond of fellowship that existed among her guild mates was stronger than anything else in this world. Of this, she was certain. She returned to the bar and poured another tankard of ale for Cana, who had been rapping her knuckles on the counter impatiently. Mira watching the remaining members of their strongest team depart with a sad smile.

Meanwhile...

Natsu continued his usual trek through the streets, his eyes wandering towards Lucy's apartment as he passed by the river. While he usually tried to avoid coming this way while going for his daily walks, his brain had been too wrapped up thinking about his conversation with Gray and Erza, and as such, he had absent-mindedly wandered into this side of town. He let out a sigh, remembering the countless times he had come by without her permission. The look on her face was always priceless, but none more than the smile she wore the day he uprooted the cheery blossom tree and sailed it past her window.

The thought made him smile for the first time in a while... Not a fake smile to assure other people that he was all right, but something real. It felt good to know that so many nice memories of their time together could still bring a grin to his face. He felt his spirit lift a little and began walking again, only to be stopped by the sound of hurried footsteps. He turned his head to find the source of the noise before catching sight of a certain white-haired mage that he had known for most of his life.

"Hey Natsu... Wait up!" Lisanna quickened her pace until she had caught up, taking a brief moment to catch her breath.

The fire mage placed his hands behind his head and leaned back slightly. "Oh, hey Lisanna. What brings you to this side of town?" he greeted with an absent-minded look.

"Sorry for following you like this, but I noticed you've been out of sorts lately. It's been so long since we've had a proper conversation. Would you mind if I walked with you for a bit?"

"Knock yourself out." he answered with a shrug, the two proceeding down the road together.

The white-haired girl watched her friend in silence as he continued one step ahead of her, noting to herself the differences in his stride. Natsu was never known as much of a thinker, yet he had been spending the better part of a month daydreaming to himself while ignoring the presence of others, the change in behavior being a source of concern for those closest to him. As the two friends continued onwards, he made little attempt to start a conversation, prompting her to make the first move. Seeing the boisterous fire mage so quiet just didn't sit right with her.

Lisanna had been through her own series of sorrows over the years, thus she decided to approach the topic as discreetly as possible. "So Natsu, how've you been holding up, lately?"

"Fine, I guess." he answered with minimal concern, the answer doing little to satiate her.

"I see..." the takeover mage considered him for a moment, clearly not believing him. While it was customary to approach difficult topics cautiously, she quickly remembered that her friend often failed to pick up on the discreet. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I heard what happened back at the guild hall between you, Gray, and Erza."

Natsu stared out into the distance, still not meeting her stare. "Yeah... What about it? It's not exactly the first time we've gone at it."

"We're all concerned about this. Not just me, but Mira, Elfman, Cana, Wendy, and everybody else." When he didn't give her an answer, Lisanna began growing tired of this game of cat and mouse. Taking a deep breath, she reluctantly decided to push the envelope. "I know you've been acting different lately."

The Dragon Slayer stopped and turned to face, his expression quickly becoming inscrutable once more. "Maybe..." his tone wavered slightly.

"I won't pry if you don't want to talk to me about it, but you really haven't been the same since Lucy passed away."

"It's something we've all been dealing with since. Still, what's that go to do with everyone else? "

"I miss having the old Natsu around." she hesitated for a moment, as if searching desperately for the right words. "I miss you: The person who used to play together with me as a kid... The person who used to start bar fights in the guild hall... The person who was my friend!"

The Dragon Slayer's eyes widened slightly as she said this last part. Due to his natural hard-headedness, perhaps he hadn't noticed what she was saying until now. Maybe the problem these last few weeks hadn't been other people's attitudes toward him, but rather the way he had been handling his so-called friends. Lisanna's words also made him realize that despite his grieving, he hadn't really spoken about Lucy's death to anyone else, and had purposely been avoiding the subject except when others provoked him, usually resulting in a conflict.

Lisanna placed leaned towards him with empathy. "I know it must've been hard for you all this time. We've all been feeling down, in our own way, but I want to let you know that I'll always be right here if you ever want to talk about it." She squeezed his shoulder calmly before walking off in the opposite direction.

"The thing is... I'm not even sure what this feeling really is." he spoke up, causing her to stop in her tracks and face him.

"Feeling?" she repeated with a look of interest, not certain what to think, but happy that he had finally said something. The youngest Strauss nodded understandingly. "You didn't give me much to work with, but for some reason I think I get it."

Natsu turned back to look at her with a bewildered expression. "Really!?" was all he could manage to say.

"You feel like you've lost everything that was important to you, because the person you were closest to is gone... Am I right?" he pondered for a second before nodding slowly, confirming her guess. "I felt that way when I was pulled into Edolas by the anima spell."

To her surprise, the fire mage gave her that genuine smile she loved so much. "Think of the bright side: You're here now, aren't you? Wasn't as hopeless as you thought, right?"

His brighter mood made her more reluctant to go back to that dark place, and yet she knew it was necessary. "You're missing the point." she stated with a shake of her head. "It was horrible once I realized that the people I met in Edolas would never be the same guild mates I knew here, and yet as I opened my heart to them, and was able to find peace with the idea that I might never return home again."

Natsu suddenly felt his hands drop to his sides as he remembered the emotions that came with Lisanna's supposed death. Needless to say that had been another one of the lowest points in his life, yet it felt different than Lucy's passing, and for some reason he still couldn't explain how. They were both girls he spent time with and valued as his closest friends. Maybe the same was also true for Erza, although the dynamic was completely different in his interactions with all three ladies. He never had a head for sorting out details like this and usually went with the flow, yet now he felt like some unknown force was pushing him to evaluate everything.

Lisanna noticed his self-induced trance before giving her friend a gentle shake to stir him out of it. "What I'm trying to say is that you should focus on the people left behind, too." she explained with a gentle expression. "If you open up to other people again, it'll be easier for everyone else to help you through this."

"I can't just forget about everything that happened... I'll find those bastards who did this to her and make them wish they were never born!"

"Well, you're not gonna do it alone!" she raised her right arm and clenched her fist in an imitation of him. "If you need help I'll whatever I can... It's a promise!"

Natsu closed his eyes and nodded understandingly, looking more comfortable with the idea than he had before. "Thanks, Lisanna."

"It's no problem! Just remember what I said, okay... It's hard to go through tough times alone, but that's why friends exist." she noticed his pensive expression had returned. "Even if you don't understand your own feelings right now, don't let that stop you from being the person we all know and love. One day, I'm sure you'll find that conclusion for yourself!"

The mood lightened considerably as if a fog had been lifted, although the Dragon Slayer could not erase the sorrow even with the support of his oldest friend. Although that painful feeling in his gut did not disappear, he didn't feel so uptight anymore. Their conversation made him wonder if he should have spoken so someone else sooner rather than alienate the rest of the guild, although until now, he hadn't been entirely aware that he had been doing just that.

"You know, it's been a while since the two of us have just hung out like we used to."

"Mira wanted me to buy some stuff for the bar since Cana's drank most of the wine during her binge last night. You can come along if you want?"

Natsu shrugged off her comment, since shopping wasn't his idea of a fun time, but accepted it nonetheless. "That's fine... It's not like there's anyone waiting for me back home. Happy went on a mission with Wendy and Carla this morning, and they shouldn't be back until tonight."

"All right, then let's get going." Lisanna shifted uneasily as her cheeks turned slightly pink, the gesture going unnoticed by her companion. "You know, the store doesn't close for several hours... Maybe we could do something else before then."

"No need to get in trouble on my account. Besides, those drunks back at the guild hall won't be too happy if you don't refill their supply soon. I'll help you drag the stuff back there before going home, though."

She hid her disappointment well, but at the same time, felt happier that he was acting a bit more like his old self. "All right, let's get going!" she replied happily.

The two walked the streets together like they had done countless times in the past, though this was the first time in years she remembered them being alone like this. Since her surprise return from Edolas, she hadn't really spent any quality time with Natsu. Maybe it was because he was always with his team, or perhaps it had something to do with Elfman and Mirajane had been hogging her to themselves due to fear of being separated again. It was hard to say why, but following that catastrophe during the Grand Magic Games, a sense of normalcy had slowly begun to return to their little family.

Despite feeling a lighter atmosphere around the Dragon Slayer, she couldn't help but notice how distracted he seemed these days. Gone was the Natsu who used to talk her ear off about new fighting techniques or recent jobs, only to be replaced by someone who while still blunt, was also much less noisy and enthusiastic. To someone who knew him as long as she did, it was rather unnerving to see him like this. As they neared the town square where most of the shops were located, she felt a small tug on her shoulder.

"Looks like we're here." he announced unnecessarily.

"Mira placed the order yesterday, so it should be ready by now. Do you mind staying here while I go inside to confirm?"

"Sure thing, just holler if you need something." Natsu watched her enter the liquor shop with a bored expression, half wishing he had gone home.

It was nice to see his friends going about their daily lives, but he couldn't shake the feelings of loneliness and discontent that had dominated his consciousness for weeks now. Before he could think another thought on the subject, a loud crash filled his ears, followed by the a blurred shape flying from the door of the nearby tavern. A middle-aged bearded man scrambled past him on all fours, as a barstool landed on his head, causing the man to pass out. Natsu turned his head just in time to see a cloaked figure walk on by.

"That's what you get for thinking you could touch a lady's ass and get away with it!" the woman shouted, stomping on the man's back several times in a fit of rage. "Take that to Hell, you dirty old bastard!"

Natsu's ears perked up as he heard her speak, the scent filling his nostrils kick starting the gears in his head. Certainly the voice had a rougher edge to it than he was used to, and sounded slightly deeper, but there was no mistaking that familiar smell. It made no sense, but everything pointed out that the woman standing in front of him was...

As if sensing his stare, the cloaked woman turned with an aggressive glare. "What are you staring at? You pinked-haired piece of..." she paused for a moment and blinked confusedly as another familiar voice caught both of their stares.

"Hey Natsu, the owner said he put the barrels out back. We should probably go out there and get them." Lisanna noticed everyone was staring at her, making her join the uncomfortable silence. She glanced between her friend and the stranger with a puzzled look. "Um, you mind telling me what's going on here?"

"That's exactly what I was about to say!" the mystery woman shouted, pulling back her hood to reveal Lucy's face.

"Lucy!?" Natsu pointed with a shocked expression, wondering what was going on.

"Yeah, I'm Lucy!" she shot back angrily, shifting her gaze from one of them to the other with a wild-eyed wary expression, as if she were afraid this was some kind of delusion.

The Dragon Slayer felt an odd mixture of emotions at seeing her face, but was unable to sort them out. He didn't know whether to feel happy, angry, or confused, but at the moment he was walking the line between all three. "How is this even possible!?"

Lisanna opened and closed her mouth for a moment as her eyes settled on the skull-shaped hairpin holding the other girl's side ponytail. "Wait a minute..." she began, only to be interrupted by the feeling of someone yanking her shirt.

Lucy grabbed them both with a vice-like grip, the Fairy Tail duo too surprised to respond. "You two mind tellin' me what going on here before I crack your faces in? You people look just like just like some friends I used to have, but that ain't even possible since they're both gone... if you catch my meaning!"

"You took the words right out of my mouth." Natsu separated himself from her, still looking completely torn. He had the sudden urge to embrace the familiar woman, but a voice in the back of his mind kept screaming that something was horribly wrong with these scenario. "I dunno what you are, but you're not the Lucy I knew!"

Suddenly Lisanna wrapped her arms around the woman, shocking her. "Lucy, it's been so long!"

"Huh!" both of the others replied in unison, neither knowing how to react.

Lucy tried to pry herself from the embrace. "Get off me!"

The white-haired girl pulled away with a happy expression. "It's me... Lisanna! You're the Lucy from Edolas, aren't you? "

"From Edolas!?" the repeated with a look of surprised, her brain quickly making the connection. "Wait a minute! Does that mean that you're..."

Lisanna nodded quickly. "I'm the one who replaced your Lisanna when she died in Edolas." she paused for a moment. "I was pulled through the anima back to Earthland after our last battle with the Royal Army. Don't you get it, now?"

"Wait, so if you're that Lisanna. That means... Wait... I'm in Earthland!?" she screamed loudly, earning her several stares from bystanders and a nod from the girl in front of her. Lucy opened her mouth in shock, her head turning towards the pink-haired mage. "That means, you must be the Natsu from this world!"

Unable to do much else, he simply nodded once, swallowing the lump that had begun to form in his throat. He was disappointed that this Lucy wasn't his, yet at least it made some measure of sense. He remembered their adventures in Edolas well, having almost died several times while fighting the tyranny of King Faust and his army in an attempt to rescue their friends. Now here she stood, the parallel version of the girl who had been his closest friend and most valued partner among all of Fairy Tail. Once again he was completely puzzled as to what he should be feeling.

Lucy Ashley placed a hand on her hip as she bent over, taking a closer look at the Earthland fire breather. "So, you're the same guy who forced me to buy those magic weapons at that shop, huh?" she pressed with a look of interest, earning another nervous nod from him. "Been a while since then, but you seem to be looking well."

Natsu blinked, his look changing into one of complete confusion. "Wait a minute! If you're the scary Lucy, how the Hell did you get here!?" he shouted incredulously, earning a poke to the forehead.

"Don't really know. Though maybe you guys can help me out here..." she shrugged with a snobbish look, her nonchalance giving way to a demanding tone. "Not like I'm gonna give you much of a choice, either way."

"We'd be happy to help." Lisanna piped up with a smile.

Lucy smiled with a sense of satisfaction. "I knew that you would..."

NOTE TO READERS: Sorry if there are any typos, but I was eager to post this chapter. Hope any mistakes didn't cause problems for you guys, although such things really aren't uncommon on this site. If anyone wants to be my beta, go ahead and give me a shout.

If you guys would like me to continue, just drop a **REVIEW** so I know you guys are supporting my efforts. If you liked anything, want something to happen, or have any ideas where I should take this story, let me know. I love getting help from the readers, since fanfiction is largely a labor of love.


End file.
